


Moments of Comfort

by End_Transmission



Category: Among Us (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Innuendo, M/M, Showers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27339235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/End_Transmission/pseuds/End_Transmission
Summary: A collection of Among Us oneshots for Baloobird's 'Comfortember' challenge! Largely to feature comfort and fluff moments between Skitch and Jamie - but other characters and scenarios may be used.Stories likely to fluctuate between fic timelines - I recommend 'Other Half' at least, to understand the names used in this collection.
Relationships: Black & Mini Crewmate (Among Us), Black/Orange (Among Us), Cyan & Mini Crewmate (Among Us), Cyan/Red (Among Us), Mini Crewmate & Orange (Among Us), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 42
Kudos: 86
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	1. Day 1: Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Skitch needs rescuing from an unusual sort of enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This OS is canonical to the 'Other Half' timeline. As mentioned in the summary, I recommend reading that fic first to understand the characters/names used in this fic.

The quiet of the house was only interrupted by the sound of the steadily dripping coffee pot and a set of eggs sizzling on the stove. Jamie was leaned against his counter, one eye on the eggs and the other on his phone as he idly scrolled through his social media feed. If Jamie listened hard enough, he could also hear the sound of running water - Skitch was showering and Jamie smiled slightly to himself as the thought of joining the Impostor crossed his mind. 

Alas, he had a stove to watch. They also had work to do, today - and Skitch could be especially nippy if Jamie caught him before breakfast. The thought brought further warmth to Jamie's cheeks, and he tried to push it aside by watching a clip that promised to be particularly funny. 

He was startled by a sudden  _ bang  _ \- and further concerned when it was followed by the clear and ongoing sounds of struggle. Jamie flipped the stove off in a quick motion before hurrying towards the bathroom. He stopped in the doorway, took in the sight waiting for him, and promptly bit back what would have undoubtedly been an offending laugh. 

Skitch was on the ground and clearly losing in his fight against the shower curtain. It was easy to piece together what had happened - the Impostor had likely slipped on his way from the tub, and had gotten tangled in the shower curtain on the way down. Watching Skitch struggle against the offending fabric, seeing the way his form was shifting and changing, drained the humor from Jamie's sails. The sight was funny, in a way, but Skitch's clear distress was considerably less so. 

"Hey, hey, slow down a minute," Jamie said, hurrying as much as he dared on the wet floor. He crouched clumsily at Skitch's side - and ducked as a curtain-draped claw flew near his head. "Skitch!" Jamie commanded, more sharply than he'd intended. It worked, though - Skitch's frantic movements slowed, then paused, and the bundle of Skitch and curtain heaved as the Impostor waited. 

"Let me, I've got you," Jamie added as he reached out. Carefully, he pulled at and moved the curtain, worked until finally a pair of amber-colored eyes blinked at him. It took only a little more effort to free Skitch from the curtain entirely - and Jamie felt even worse about his initial humor when Skitch latched on to him. When the Impostor trembled, just a little, Jamie wrapped his arms around him in return and held him close. 

"It's alright," Jamie muttered, and then he waited for Skitch to work through whatever it was that had spooked him so badly. He felt as Skitch solidified, as his galloping hearts returned to their usual - albeit still quick - pace. When, eventually, Skitch pulled away, Jamie let him go without complaint. Now fully in his human form, Skitch covered his face with a hand and looked away. Feeling himself smiling, Jamie reached out and tapped the Impostor's arm. He let his smile widen when a single eye looked his way. 

"Don't worry about it. You wanna talk about what happened?" Jamie asked. Skitch sighed and lowered his hand, then looked at the mess of curtain and water around them. 

"I broke it," Skitch signed, and Jamie nodded his understanding of the gentle refusal. He had his own guesses of why Skitch had become so panicked while wrapped in the curtain - but he had no interest in pressing the Impostor. 

"Eh, it's alright," Jamie responded, "I've been meaning to get a new shower curtain anyway. You didn't hit your head when you fell or anything, did you?" 

Jamie grinned at Skitch's unimpressed look and watched as what remained of the tension bled from the Impostor's body. With a soft snort, Skitch shook his head. 

"Good. Well, uh, how about we get this cleaned up, and then have some breakfast? I've got a whole dozen eggs with your name on them." 

"Alright. I  _ am _ hungry," Skitch agreed. Jamie climbed to his feet and held out his hand and, when Skitch took it, wound their fingers together. As Jamie helped the Impostor to his feet, they exchanged another smile. 

"Guess next time I  _ should  _ come with you. Just to be safe," Jamie added. A huff of a breath and the tightening of his hand was Skitch's response. 


	2. Day 2: First Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Black's vicious fight with Cyan has left him wounded and comatose. As Black's first night in the Medbay drags on, Jamie keeps a close watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This OS directly spoils 'Other Half,' and details the night following Skitch's fight with Trep - only from Jamie's point of view. As before, I recommend that fic first to better understand this OS!

They wanted Jamie to sleep. White had insisted on it - had gone so far as to grab the man's hand and attempt to pull him from his chair. When Jamie had ripped his hand away, not having budged an inch, White had sighed. 

"I promise I won't go anywhere," White had told him, "I'll watch him. I've got stitches and gauze and plenty of liquid bandages - and if it gets too bad, I'll come get you. I  _ promise,  _ Orange. You need to rest!" 

"Not tonight," Jamie had muttered in return, his eyes once again going to the form on the cot in front of him. "I don't want him to be alone." White sighed again, but didn't argue any further. Didn't bother to repeat that Black  _ wouldn't  _ be alone - perhaps they understood what Jamie was saying. Or, more likely, they were just tired of fighting. 

"I'm going to sleep then," White said, something short in their tone. They paused, and when they continued they'd softened again. "Come and get me if you need me. Whatever it is, I won't mind. Okay?" 

Jamie nodded, and he felt White grip his shoulder in a brief, reassuring grasp. Then he was gone, and Jamie was alone with Black. Or, rather, with Black's strange, unconscious body. 

They'd laid Black onto the bed as best they could - difficult, given his numerous limbs and partially amorphous body. They'd bundled him in blankets in an attempt to keep him contained - and in the hopes it'd stop his shivering. The containment had worked, but Black hadn't stopped trembling - no matter how many blankets they layered on top of him. 

Jamie got to his feet and stepped closer to the bed. He reached out and slipped his hand under the blankets to rest it against Black's face - or, close enough, at least. The coolness of the - of Black was almost biting. When Black suddenly shifted, Jamie went still - he didn't miss the way Black seemed to press into his hand. 

Then, all at once, Black began to seize. The blankets fell and tangled as Black's form jerked and writhed and thrashed - limbs and skin jutting out in odd and impossible angles. Jamie flinched away as something sharp jabbed past his face. With a sharp breath, he moved in closer, hesitated for a second as he decided how best to tackle the problem at hand, then half collapsed onto Black. He wrapped his arms as securely around Black's body as he could, and tried to just hold on as Black continued to buck and seize. 

"It's okay, it's okay," Jamie whispered, the cold slick splattering his clothes making his heart drop. "Black, please. Please, you have to calm down. You're bleeding again." He held on a little tighter, squeezed his eyes shut against the tears that were threatening to fall. His feelings about Black were beyond confusing - but he didn't want the other to die. 

He was terrified that Black would die. 

When Black went still, and then limp, as quickly as he'd started to seize, a harsh breath ripped from Jamie's chest. He carefully let go of Black, let his hands trail over the other's strange form as he pulled back. As he let go, Black settled back onto the bed, still and quiet and Jamie couldn't even tell if he were  _ breathing.  _

"Black?" Jamie asked, putting his hands on either side of Black's strangely elongated face. "Can you hear me? Black, please - come on -  _ please."  _ For a long moment there was nothing, and Jamie's vision swam violently with tears. "Come back, Black. Please. Not like this. It can't end like this."

Black trembled as his chest moved with an obvious breath. Jamie let out a sob, leaned forward, and pressed his forehead briefly against Black's form. He let his tears fall, then, unable to hold them back even if he'd wanted to. Black was alive for another minute. 

It wasn't over yet. 

Jamie had to step away, hating to leave but knowing he had to see to Black's reopened wound. He lathered it with liquid bandage - considered waking White before finally,  _ finally,  _ it stopped bleeding. Satisfied for the moment - wondering how much bandage they'd go through in the end - Jamie worked at tucking the blankets back around Black's form. If he lingered there for a moment, if he stood half embracing Black - well, could anyone really blame him? 

As Jamie finally sat back in his chair, he felt something cool snaking around his arm. Surprised, he looked - a tendril had formed off of Black's body and had wrapped itself around Jamie's wrist. Quickly, Jamie looked towards Black's eyes - but they were still closed. He wasn't awake - likely, he wasn't at all aware that Jamie was even there. 

Still, Jamie settled back a little more in his chair and laid his free hand on top of the tendril. It was cold - the surface rippled where Jamie touched it. Fascinated, Jamie began to softly drag his fingers up and down the appendage - it tightened around his wrist in response, even as it shifted and twitched beneath his touch. 

It was soothing, somehow. 

With a soft breath, Jamie leaned back a bit further and brought his wrist up to lay against his chest. He continued to gently stroke the tendril, and although he didn't sleep, he did feel himself relax into a sort of shallow doze. 

Jamie didn't know how long the quiet would last - he didn't know when next Black would seize, or if he'd even make it through the rest of the night. For just a moment in time, though, Jamie felt soothed. 

He only hoped that, somewhere in his comatose mind, Black felt the same.


	3. Day 3: Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie has a nightmare featuring a very specific Impostor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this based on Other Half? Or is it based on Cyan? The answer is yes. Whatever you'd like.

Skitch didn't sleep - outside of the comatose of injury or heavy exertion, it wasn't necessary. He did enjoy a sort of doze, though - a shallow sort of unawareness that let him stay semi-aware of his surroundings. It also let him track Jamie's warmth and breathing as the human slept - making the nights pass a little faster. 

It was easy to come out of the doze, though - so when Jamie suddenly whimpered, Skitch's eyes snapped open. His first instinct was to sweep the room for threats - but, as usual, there was nothing there. Jamie's grip on Skitch tightened, and he shifted to look down at the human. 

Jamie's face was pinched, his eyebrows drawn close together. Skitch could see Jamie's eyes moving beneath their lids, and with a shaky breath he whimpered again. Skitch shifted carefully so that he could more fully face the human. Then he laid his hand against Jamie's cheek - something warm blossomed in his chest when the human shifted just a little to press his cheek into Skitch's hand. 

It faded a bit when Jamie let out a soft sob. Worried, Skitch let his hand shift to the claw that was closer to his real form. He tapped the tips of his claws against Jamie's skin - a tap under an eye, a tap on his nose, a series of taps along his lips. For a moment, there was no change - and then, Jamie began to wake. It was slow, at first - the human shifted and snuffed and then opened his eyes. They found Skitch's - and then, suddenly, Jamie was quickly scrambling away with a terrified yelp. 

He tried to leave the bed, but got tangled in the blankets - as they wrapped tighter around him, Jamie began to thrash like a thing possessed. At a loss, Skitch did the only thing he could think to do - he launched toward, wrapped his arms around Jamie's form, and pulled the human tightly to his body. 

It was a long few seconds as Jamie continued to fight - but slowly, the worst of it bled from him, leaving him panting against Skitch's chest. They sat like that for a moment or two, Skitch clicking his tongue softly in an effort to further soothe his mate. Eventually, he felt Jamie rest his palm against Skitch's chest - his heart rate finally starting to slow. 

"Skitch." Jamie said definitively, as if reassuring himself of who was holding him. "Fuck - I'm sorry. I'm sorry." 

Carefully, Skitch scooted back, letting go of Jamie but bringing his hands up to cup the human's face instead. He gently rubbed the pads of his thumbs beneath Jamie's eyes, finding the skin there wet with tears Skitch hadn't even realized the human had shed. With a soft breath, Skitch pulled his hands away to speak. 

"Sorry for what? Are you alright? What's wrong?" 

"It's nothing. Just a - it was just a nightmare. Sorry." 

Nightmares. Skitch's understanding of things like dreams and nightmares was based only on what science Jamie had shown him and a vague, general knowledge. Given they didn't sleep unless comatose, it wasn't something Skitch had ever experienced. Still, it wasn't Jamie's first - Skitch doubted it'd be his last. It was, however, the worst Skitch had seen thus far. 

"Was it about me?" Skitch asked, assuming that was why Jamie seemed so intent on apologizing. He knew he was right when Jamie reddened and looked away, a "no" escaping his lips too quickly to be believable. With a soft huff of air, Skitch shifted his form to allow for a third hand - which he reached out and gently cusped Jamie's chin with. He pulled the man's gaze back to him and, when Jamie finally looked, did his best to give the human a soft smile. 

"I'm not upset," Skitch told Jamie, "I'm not even terribly surprised. You don't have to apologize for things you can't control, or your reactions to them." He paused and brushed softly at Jamie's lower lip with a thumb. "When you're awake, you know I'd never hurt you, right? I'd sooner die." At that, Jamie finally seemed to relax, his shoulders lowering a little and his chin becoming a little heavier in Skitch's hand. 

"Yeah," Jamie responded, "I know. Of course I know that. Even asleep, I think I know - it was just, your eyes…I don't know. It was stu-" 

Skitch cut him off with a kiss, and he felt his own chest loosen when Jamie returned the motion in kind, without hesitation. It was brief, but for the moment it was enough - there was a small smile on Jamie's face when they broke apart. With a heavy, but somewhat contented sigh, Jamie leaned against Skitch and burrowed his face against the Impostor's chest. 

"Can you do more arms?" Jamie asked, his voice somewhat muffled. Body shaking with his own silent laughter, Skitch did as requested. He curled a total of six arms around Jamie and held him tight - and was quickly soothed by the sounds of the human drifting back into a more peaceful sleep. 


	4. Day 6: Afraid to Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No matter what logic says, sometimes the shadows at night are too long to ignore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one /is/ directly related to the 'Cyan' one-shot. As a quick crash course, in that Jamie was attacked by Impostor!Cyan and has a little bit of trauma from the experience.
> 
> We're gonna skip prompts 4 and 5 for now, but might potentially come back to them later. We'll see!

The shadows on the wall flickered for just a moment - just long enough for them to catch Jamie's eye and make his heart rate skyrocket. With a shuddering breath, he pressed closer to the wall behind him and gripped the blanket around him a little tighter. He waited, barely breathing, for the other shoe to drop - for the shadows to form into something with claws and teeth and bloodlust - 

The room settled, and his crewmates slept on, completely unperturbed. There were no vicious creatures in the shadows - Polus was safe. How many times now had Skitch assured Jamie as much? There was only one Impostor left on Polus, and that was Skitch - who would never hurt Jamie. Or anyone else, for that matter. 

Jamie knew these things - he repeated them like a mantra now, alternating focus between those words and a slow countdown from ten. It wasn't helping - his heartbeat was still fluttering rapidly in his chest, almost painful in its terror. He took another deep breath, tried once again to just  _ calm down.  _

There was a sudden clattering outside the wall of the Crewmate quarters, and every logical thought fled from Jamie's brain. He wanted to run - he wanted to hunker down and hide. He wanted to wake the others - but he didn't want to alert whatever was hunting them. These thoughts tumbled in his mind until all at once he was moving without any clear direction - just the knowledge that he had to be somewhere else far away from the shadows and the noises. 

Jamie had barely started down the hallway when he collided with a shape. It unbalanced him, and he surely would have fallen if not for the arms suddenly wrapped around him. He was pressed securely against something cool to the touch, and the feeling helped slow his wild thoughts down to something more manageable. If it were anyone else, Jamie would have panicked more - but instinct seemed to know who had him long before his brain caught up. 

For a couple of heartbeats, Jamie rested his forehead against Skitch's chest - or, at least, against the general area of his suit. Then, Jamie stepped back and looked up at the Impostor - Skitch was in full gear, and Jamie could only assume he'd been on watch that evening. 

"Are you alright?" Skitch signed in question, "it's late."

"I'm…" the word 'fine' died on Jamie's tongue. With a slight shrug, he settled on something closer to the truth. "I'm having trouble sleeping," he admitted. 

"Watching the shadows again?" 

"I know it's stupid," Jamie muttered, all at once feeling embarrassed, "you've told me time and time again that there isn't anyone else. It's just, sometimes when it gets dark…"

"It's not stupid," Skitch said, pausing for a moment to reach out and lay the back of his hand against Jamie's cheek for a long second. "I'll reassure you as often as you need. I won't get complacent again, either - I'm always watching, Jamie. The second there is a threat, you'll know. And I'll deal with it long before it gets to you."

"I know," Jamie said, and he did. Still, seeing it said from Skitch again calmed him more than his own thoughts had managed. They were quiet for a moment, and Jamie knew he ought to return to his quarters - try and get some sleep for real. He'd thought himself calmer, now, but the idea made his heart start to pound all over again. 

"Do you want to come on rounds with me?" Skitch asked. "The stars seem especially bright tonight - it's very relaxing." He held out his hand, and Jamie looked at it, then up towards the Impostor's visor. How it was Skitch always seemed to know, Jamie couldn't say. With a slight nod, Jamie took Skitch's hand. The way the Impostor curled their hands together even made Jamie smile, just a little. 

"Yeah, I'd like that," Jamie agreed, the anxiety of the night all at once fading back into something a little easier to manage. 


	5. Prompt 8: Lashing Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skitch hates the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll probably be uploading this to In Terra, as well - this is a direct sequel to Other Half and is part of Jamie and Skitch's adventures on earth.

It was cold. 

Jamie's hometown had entered the weather pattern known as _winter,_ and that meant cold days, colder nights, and worst of all - snow. The precipitation had a habit of coating everything and dampening the heat everywhere it touched - including clothing and bodies. So despite Skitch's many layers - most specifically picked by Jamie to slough off the snow's wetness - he was still freezing. 

They were shoveling the driveway - an absolutely idiotic and yet necessary chore that of course Skitch had agreed to help with. He was a resident of the house - and Jamie charged him nothing but his attention and affection. So helping with chores was not only the least Skitch could do - he felt it was the _natural_ thing to do. 

He hated this, though. He'd started shivering some ten minutes ago and it was only getting worse by the minute. He couldn't feel his appendages - and every time he looked up there still seemed yards of driveway to go. It was aggravating, but he kept it to himself - he was helping. He wanted to help. No doubt Jamie was just as miserable and if the human could continue without complaint, so could Skitch. 

Unbidden, unwelcome, and unexpectedly, Skitch's thoughts suddenly turned to home. Weather on his own planet could be hostile at times but the temperature was generally stable. It was a warm running planet, and Skitch had the brief and sudden wish that he could go home. 

He didn't even want that - the wish was brief in passing and quickly shoved aside. But the damage was done - all at once, Skitch was violently reminded that he _couldn't_ go home. Not ever - not even for a visit, or to see his family. When he had chosen Jamie above all else, he had ensured a permanent separation from his planet and everyone on its surface. 

Skitch didn't regret it. He'd never regret Jamie - but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. 

Skitch didn't even realize he'd stopped in place until Jamie's hand was suddenly on his arm. Skitch looked at the human and noted the worried crease in his eyebrows - no doubt mirrored in his mouth currently hidden beneath a scarf. It was too much - there was pressure in Skitch's chest and it was building too quickly. 

"Are you alright?" Jamie asked, and Skitch couldn't answer. That pressure all at once burst and he was so inexplicably and suddenly _angry._ With a hard breath, he shrugged Jamie's hand away, dropped the shovel in his hands, and turned and walked for the house. He heard Jamie make a noise of confusion, but refused to look back. 

Skitch made his way into the foyer of the house, then paused to try and start the process of removing the clothes layering him. His fingers kept catching and slipping - too cold for him to get the right purchase. The aching burned hotter with every missed tug and the fabric of his gloves ripped as his hands became claws. 

"Skitch?" Jamie asked, suddenly behind him, and it was only the human's voice that kept Skitch from ripping through the rest of the clothing. He turned towards the human to respond, continuing to fumble with the clothing in between his sentences. 

"I hate this. I'm freezing and wet and shoveling is the stupidest thing I've ever had to do," Skitch said, unaware that he'd started growling deep in his chest. With every second the clothing remained intact, his signs grew more violent. "I hate this. I hate this _place!"_ With that, he grabbed the next zipper and yanked hard enough that it snapped away - he froze in place, panting. Too much. It was too much. 

"Hey." Jamie said. Slowly, Skitch brought his eyes up to the human's. All at once, what he'd just said caught up to him and the anger tempered a bit in the face of shame. The human's look - calm, a little sad - didn't help Skitch feel any better. 

"I'm sorry," He said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"It's okay," Jamie said. He pulled his gloves off and reached out, putting his hands on either side of Skitch's face. "Jesus," he said immediately, hissing softly, "I thought the clothes were doing the trick - why didn't you tell me you were so cold?" 

"I wanted to help."

"Let's get you warmed up. Here - rip off this jacket, and I'll take care of the rest, okay?" Skitch nodded and did as asked. Once the broken jacket was removed, Jamie made quick work of the rest - nimble fingers stripping Skitch of his many layers until the Impostor was left only in the long johns Jamie had insisted he wear beneath it all. 

"Jamie -" 

"Can we talk once you're warm?" Jamie interrupted, throwing him a quick and apologetic smile, "I think you'll feel better once you're bundled in some blankets and a bit warmer. Honestly, I might not be as cold as you, but I could use some warming up myself." 

Skitch paused and then nodded, because he could hardly argue the point. 

"Great - why don't you go grab as many blankets as you can and set up on the couch? I'll join you in a few minutes."

"Do you need help with something?" 

At that, Jamie smiled a bit wider and shook his head. "Nah, I got it. You just get comfortable. I won't be long."

So, Skitch did as told. He gathered the blankets from their bed - _their bed. That was a thought that shook the gloom a little more_ \- and joined them with the blankets they already kept on the couch. He bundled it all together into something approaching a nest, then burrowed into them. Between the warmth of the house and the blankets, Skitch began to feel the cold finally seeping away.

As he'd promised, Jamie soon joined him, carrying two coffee mugs into the living room. Skitch unbundled so he could reach out to take the cup he was offered - an inhale told him it was broth. A sip told him it'd been warmed. Meanwhile, Jamie set his own cup aside in order to maneuver beneath the blankets as well - any cold that'd lingered evaporated as the human snuggled up close to Skitch. 

"We usually drink hot coffee, tea, or chocolate when we're cold," Jamie explained as he took his own cup back into his hands. An herbal scent drifted from it, Skitch noted. "I thought _you_ might like the broth." Skitch took another sip of the drink - the meaty flavor and warmth was soothing. He nodded his agreement, and that brought a fresh smile to Jamie's face. 

They just sat there, for a while - until the warmth within their bundle had grown heavy and comfortable. It was only once they'd both finished their drinks, and Jamie had set their cups aside, that the human spoke again. 

"I'm sorry," Jamie began, "I have to ask, though, I'd rather know - Skitch, are you really unhappy here?" 

Skitch let out a breath and shifted a bit to press his face against the top of Jamie's head. He squeezed the human to him, holding him in that grip for a long few seconds before letting go and shifting back a little in order to speak. 

"You're here, and in the end that's all that matters to me." Skitch paused, and with a small shrug acquiesced. "Adjusting has been hard, in some ways. This winter is…difficult to deal with. I'd prefer to never step into a grocery store again. It's stressful trying to adapt to so many human customs and nuances. Yet…the good outweighs the bad at nearly every turn. I'm not unhappy. How could I be, when you're here? I was just…frustrated, before. Overwhelmed. I spoke rashly. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Jamie said, "we all do it, sometimes. As long as you know I'm always willing to listen - no matter what your complaints might be." He let out a soft sigh, then leaned into Skitch and rested his hand on the Impostor's thigh. "I know there are things that can't be changed, now, but never hesitate to let me know if you need my help." He paused, hummed. "You know, it's not something we can do quickly, but maybe we can look into moving somewhere warmer." 

"That's an option?" Skitch asked, straightening quickly in surprise. Jamie blinked at him, then laughed softly. He wrapped his arms around the Impostor and snuggled in close enough that Skitch could feel Jamie's smile against his skin. 

"Yeah, it's an option," Jamie said, voice partially muffled, "let's talk about it more later, okay?" Quietly, Skitch studied the human wrapped around him. Then, acquiescing, he brought his arms around Jamie in return and settled down, bringing forth a third arm to tuck the blankets more securely around them. 

_Okay,_ Skitch agreed, knowing the human could sense his answer. 


	6. Prompt 10: Crying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tracking down the wayward Trepper is proving a little more difficult than Trep would have guessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This OS ties directly into the 'Pup' series - and I highly recommend reading that first.

The cry was  _ piercing -  _ and the way it echoed through the vents of the ship didn't dampen it at all. Trepper was in distress somewhere - given it sounded like he was  _ everywhere,  _ Trep was having difficulty finding the child. He was searching, though, because Trepper was carrying on as though he were  _ wounded -  _ and it was wearing on Trep's last nerve. 

It was also more than a little worrying. 

"Kid, you have to give me a clue here," Trep said, pausing beneath a vent and looking up to it, "I'm trying to find you but you're making it difficult." Trepper's response was to give another piercing cry - this one punctuated by a single word that had Trep going dead still. 

"Daddy!" 

_ Daddy?  _

Trep reached up to rub at his face as he took a deep breath and released it. That made two whole words now, and though Trep would be glad not to only ever hear 'no,' a small part of him wished Trepper had chosen literally any other word. 

A much bigger part of him had warmed significantly at the cry, though. 

"Alright, alright, just stay where you are," Trep said, "I'll find you one way or another." With that, he renewed his search - tried to parse Trepper's cries to better pinpoint where, exactly, they were coming from. 

It took effort but, eventually, Trep found his wayward ward. Trepper was curled tight just below the vent grate in Medbay - a room that didn't see much use now that the humans were taken care of. When Trep lifted the cover and spotted Trepper inside, he let out a long, relieved breath - which quickly turned into an  _ oof  _ as Trepper all but launched himself at the older Impostor. 

He clung to Trep and sobbed. Sighing, Trep patted his back softly - gave the kid a chance to cry a bit before Trep pulled him away to get a good look at him. He gave Trepper a thorough look over, even while the boy wiggled and made grasping motions towards Trep. The older Impostor was glad to see no sign of injury or serious distress. 

"Not a scratch on you. What's wrong, brat? What's with the waterworks?" Trep asked, before giving in and bringing the boy close again. Trepper latched on immediately and burrowed his face against Trep's neck, hiccuping softly. Trep shifted the boy into a slightly more secure hold and used his free hand to begin rubbing Trepper's back. 

"What, did you get lost?" Trep thought to ask after a minute and, to his surprise, he felt Trepper nod minutely. "Silly kid," Trep said, and if there were fondness in his tone, well, what if it? "You weren't lost. Just hiding - I found you, didn't I?" Trepper's response was another small hiccup. With a soft chuckle, Trep straightened to his feet, turned, and walked away from Medbay. As they walked, Trep hummed - and felt Trepper calm further, going limp against Trep's shoulder. 

"You ever get lost again, just hunker down and wait, alright? Just like you did today. I'll always track you down eventually." Trepper snuggled a little deeper still and let out his own long, exhausted breath. He sniffled, once, but the worst of his crying seemed to have passed. 

"Daddy," Trepper repeated in a mumble that was further muffled by Trep's neck. Clearing his throat against the strange catch in his chest, Trep shifted his hand to ruffle the child's hair briefly. 

It was all he could really manage to say.


	7. Prompt 11: Music

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The loud drone of Polus can be a little too much for a baby Impostor - luckily, Jamie has an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original prompt for today was PTSD - but I feel like I've explored that a lot and, in an effort to focus on the fluff, am taking one of the offered substitutions instead! I've chosen Music.
> 
> This OS is directly related to the Temper Tantrum universe - and I recommend reading that first. :)

When Jamie first heard the whimper, he was crouched near the environment control panel of Oxygen, adjusting the numbers in an ongoing attempt to keep their trees alive. At the sound, he stilled with a frown and listened a bit harder. When a soft whine punctuated the air, he stood and went looking. It took him a few minutes, but eventually he found the source. 

Skitcher was curled up in the far back corner of the lower, enclosed Oxygen room. He was sniffling, his hands pressed tightly over his ears and his whole body trembling. With a frown, Jamie hurried over and crouched in front of him - immediately, Skitcher blinked at him with wide, nervous eyes. 

"Hey buddy," Jamie said, "what's the matter? What're you doing in here all alone?" And where, Jamie added, was Skitch? Because wherever he was, no doubt he was ripping things apart in an effort to find his son. 

"'s loud," Skitcher said with a sniffle, "my ears." As if to prove his point, he rubbed his ears with another soft whine. 

"What's loud?" 

"Everything," Skitcher responded with a whimper. He curled a little tighter still and pressed his hands so hard against his ears that Jamie was worried he'd inadvertently hurt himself. Carefully, Jamie reached out and gently bundled Skitcher up into his arms. As he stood with the boy cradled close, he thought. 

It was true that Polus was a constant hive of activity - there was a low drone in every building, and some places were louder than the rest. The humans adjusted quickly, and Jamie hadn't noticed Skitch having any particular trouble. Still, he could see how it might overwhelm a baby Impostor with undoubtedly sensitive hearing. The only question was how to help - it was too cold to keep Skitcher outside for long. 

Suddenly inspired, Jamie secured his hold on Skitcher a little better and began the trek to his and Toby's quarters. When they arrived and Jamie saw Skitch already there - currently in the process of upending Jamie's nicely made bed - the human wasn't especially surprised. He still managed to throw the Impostor an unamused look, though. 

"He's right here, he's alright," Jamie said. Skitch startled, then turned. When he saw Skitcher securely in Jamie's arms, Skitch's shoulders dropped in relief. Then, he glanced at the bed, then back to Jamie - who he immediately gave a sheepish smile. 

"He likes to hide in the blankets sometimes," Skitch explained, "I just wanted to be sure he wasn't here."

"I know," Jamie relented with a smile, "it's alright. He's okay too - poor boy just got a bit overwhelmed, I think. I have an idea to help - take him, yeah?" Skitch didn't need to be told twice - likely, hadn't needed to be told at all. He moved closer and reached out to take Skitcher and bundle him close. Immediately, the child began to talk in their shared, alien tongue - the way he rubbed at his ears again told Jamie he was likely repeating his story for his father. 

Turning from the duo, Jamie started searching through his items. It took him a little while but, eventually, he was able to dig out his trusty - if rather old - cassette player. He'd been teased more than once for the device - but usually had the last laugh when it continued to function trip after trip. Even after being dropped more times than he could count - more than anyone could say about their phones. 

Jamie pressed a headphone to his ear and gave it a play - apparently, he'd left Toby's favorite Disney cassette in. Perfect. Jamie adjusted the volume a bit before pausing it and walking back over to the Impostors. 

"Alright kiddo," Jamie said, holding the system up, "watch your hands. Let's give this a try, okay?" Skitcher blinked at him owlishly, but slid his hands away - as he began to tense, Jamie quickly slipped the headphones over the boy's ears. Skitcher stilled, then reached up a hand to touch one. 

"Huh. Weird question - do you guys have music?" Jamie asked, glancing towards Skitch, who nodded. "How about devices to play it?" Skitch nodded again, then drew a finger across his neck. Jamie grimaced in sympathy. 

Technology dying was the last thing you wanted on a long trip with a child. 

"Well, good news," Jamie said, looking to Skitcher again, "this thing is pretty hard to break. I'm just gonna play some music, okay?" When the boy nodded, Jamie hit play. Skitcher's eyes went wide, and for a few seconds he sat completely still. Then, he beamed widely. He began to hum and tap his finger against the headset - pausing occasionally to giggle. 

"There we go. That should at least help," Jamie said, grinning himself at the boy's sudden turnabout into good cheer. Carefully, Skitch set his son down - immediately, Skitcher began to toddle around with a bounce in his step. Jamie chuckled, then looked to Skitch just in time to catch the Impostor flashing him a quick "Thank you."

"Sure, not a problem," Jamie said. A thought occurred to him and, after a second, he continued. "Uh, maybe just make sure he doesn't nibble on it. I'm not sure how long it'll last if it has to stand up to Impostor saliva."

"It doesn't seem to cause you any ill effects," Skitch said and, surprised, Jamie smacked a hand against his chest - heat rising to his face. 

"Behave!" 

"Apologies," Skitch said, shaking in silent laughter and not looking sorry at all. "Duly noted - I'll keep an eye on him."


	8. Prompt 21: Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They weren't strangers to casual touching - but this was a bit different than their usual flavor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a Cyan/Red chapter - based more or less in the Had To Be You timeline. Given that story is Explicit, all you really need to know is:
> 
> Red's name is Addison, and he's a human. 
> 
> Cyan's name is Trep, and he's an Impostor. Before Addison, he was an especially good one. 
> 
> At the time of this OS, they're in a relationship.

Casual touches weren't a new thing between them - but they always had a  _ tone.  _ They were meant to bother - like the way Trep would lean heavily over Addison to mess with whatever the human was working on, or the way Addison might grab Trep's knee  _ hard  _ when the Impostor was getting a little too snippy with a crewmate. Or, they were teasing - pointed grabs or touches meant to entice the other into something steamier. It was their way - just how their relationship functioned at its best. 

So Trep was entirely unsure what to make of this new development. 

It'd been a long, tense day - had started early when the Oxygen systems had suddenly crashed, filling the entirety of the ship with a blaring, frantic alarm. Addison had shot awake and had been out of his quarters in seconds - and was lucky Trep had been there to somehow manage to shove a shirt over the human's head before they'd practically run into the rest of the crew. 

It'd taken too long to find the problem - they'd searched frantically, Trep included because  _ none  _ of them had bothered to put on suits and who knew how long the transient oxygen on the ship would last or if there'd even be  _ time  _ \- 

Eventually, they'd found a blockage of leaves badly clogged deep within the intake system. They'd removed it, and immediately the alarms had ceased and they'd all taken deep, grateful breaths. 

Then, the crew had turned on each other. 

There'd been blame and accusations and absolute certainty that there was another Impostor aboard. Addison had calmed them, in the end, and Trep was only thankful that the human wasn't quick to rash decisions. Oh, they'd had some words - Addison hadn't been shy about blaming Trep once they were alone. He'd relaxed quickly, though, and had readily believed the Impostor when Trep had truthfully insisted that no, he hadn't done anything, and Addison really ought to scold his crew for their slipshod task work. 

That'd pulled the wind from Addison's sails, and the human had crossed over to his bed and sat on the edge of it. He'd rubbed his temples with his fingers, and Trep knew it was about as much stress as Addison would show. That he showed  _ that  _ much spoke volumes about how much the day had gotten to him. 

Well, stress relief was one of Trep's specialities - and he'd sat next to Addison fully intending on offering his services to the human. Thoughts and intentions came to a screaming stop, though, when Addison all at once turned towards Trep and wrapped his arms tight around the Impostor. 

There was a long pause before Trep could bring himself to speak. 

"Addison?" 

"Hush," Addison muttered immediately in response, "just…hold still a moment." He pressed his forehead into Trep's chest, and let out a long breath. "I just need a minute."

Trep really didn't know what to make of the strangely gentle touch. It wasn't as if they never embraced - but usually it followed other activities. It'd never been random, like this - so out of the blue and  _ casual.  _

Still…

Trep glanced down at Addison. The human's eyes were closed, and he was simply breathing, his arms tight around Trep and forehead pressed into the Impostor's chest. He was warm, as usual, and Trep couldn't deny it was an overall comfortable sensation. 

With a breath, Trep relaxed and brought his arms around to envelop Addison. He tugged the human a bit closer, making their embrace a bit less awkward and causing Addison to shift up, until his head was pressed up under Trep's chin. Trep felt Addison go still, and let out a soft huff. 

"Not as if we've anywhere to be," Trep said, "sit here as long as you like, you won't hear me complain."

Addison's response was a snort that made him jerk in laughter, and Trep grinned in return. 

"About this - you won't hear me complain about  _ this."  _ Trep corrected himself. 

"Yeah, that sounds more accurate."

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt collection can be found [Here!](https://pyroweasel.tumblr.com/post/633625499971747840/Comfortember)
> 
> I will likely not cover every prompt, but hope to do a good handful!


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